Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday proposed to set up Kisan Rail in a public-private-partnership (PPP) model for the cold supply chain to transport perishable goods. Presenting her second Union Budget, Sitharaman announced a slew of measures for the benefit of farmers.
“To build a seamless national cold supply chain for perishables, the Indian Railways will set up Kisan Rail through PPP model so that perishable goods can be transported quickly,” she said.
She also said refrigerated parcel vans on select mail express and freight trains for carrying perishable cargo was also on the anvil.
Perishable goods like fruits, vegetables, dairy products, fish, meat need to be carried in such temperature controlled vans in order to travel long distances.
The proposal to use refrigerated parcel vans to ferry perishables was first announced by then railway minister Mamata Banerjee in the 2009-10 Budget, however, it has failed to take off.